Belmont at Saratoga means shortening the 3rd Triple Crown race, but most are OK with that
The Belmont Stakes will be run at 1 1/4 miles instead of the traditional 1 1/2-mile distance that has long distinguished the third leg of the Triple Crown
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. (AP) — The Belmont Stakes is the final test of the Triple Crown — the third resume booster to edge a horse into the history books. It's not an easy feat.
The third leg is the longest of the three races at 1½ miles and requires a horse with endurance to handle it. There have been 36 Triple Crown-eligible horses heading into the Belmont, and only 13 have secured the third jewel.
This year, with it happening at Saratoga Race Course instead of Belmont Park, the shape of the track makes it implausible to run it at 1½ miles, so it's being shortened to 1¼ miles — the same distance as the Kentucky Derby. It's a change but not one that retired jockey and Fox Sports racing analyst Richard Migliore believes deserves an asterisk for the winner.
“It takes nothing away from the event whatsoever,” Migliore said. “It’s an American classic race that’s tough to win. Winning races at the Grade I level, at any distance, whether it’s 5 furlongs or 2 miles, is extremely tough."
